Improvement in traction-engines



5 Sheets--Shee't1. L. A. HERRMANN.

Engines.

Patented July 2,1872.

Improvement in Traction N0.128,543.

an/vented 4n. PWM-UTMMAPIl/t' w. 11.x [amok/1:5 mbczss.)

5Sheets--Sheet2. L A. HE-RRMANN. Improvement in Traction-Engines.

ted July 2,1872.

WWGW

5Sheets--Sheet3. L. A. HERRMANN.

Improvement in Traction-Engines. N0.128,543. $3.4 Patentedlu ly 2,1872.

5Sh eet s--Shee t4. L. A. HERRMANN. Improvement infraction-Engines.N0.1'28',543, Patented July 2,1872.

5She ts-'-Shee't5. L.A HERRMANN.

Improvement in Traction-Engines.

No.128,543. Pa tented July 2,1872.

rw'uv r I LoUIs HERRMANN or PARIS, FRANCE.

- IMPROVEMENT IN TRACTION-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,543, dated July 2,1872.

a and carrying a shoe, d, having a-large base.-

At the joint on is fixed a rod, 6, sliding vertically within a sheath,e, attached to the framing 0. The rod or bar 0 vibrates longitudinally(in reference to the framing A B) within a groove, 1", in the floor. Thebar 0 being vertical, if, by theeffect of a spring, f, fastened to theframing 0, a strain on said bar is produced equal to the weight of thevehicle and a traction exerted simultaneously and at right anglesthereto by means of a weight, P, the bar 0 will deviate from thevertical and take an oblique position; but rod 0 is held at its point ofvibration a, the same as at its point of application d, on the soil.Therefore it cannot take the inclination a d without the position ofengine being changed and it being, consequently, carried forward. Inorder to continue the motion it is required to suppress the action ofspring f and of weight P and to carry the leg 0 in the former positionat a d. It is obvious that, by setting again the forces or powers intoaction, the same effects hereinabove mentioned will be obtained. In lieuof spring f, a steam-cylinder may be fastened to the upper part of theframing O, with the piston-rod a sliding within this cylinder. Through aslide-valve, or through a cook, the

v steam may be introduced above or below the piston, and consequentlyproduces the ascending or descending motion of the leg 0, a

motion corresponding to the shoulder-motion of a horse. Thus, theapparatus being disposed so that the leg 0 will be in the position a d,the steam being compelled to come over the ascending piston, theapparatus will be carried by the leg 0; and if the steam is introducedon the propelling-piston, so as to have the same carried toward B, theleg 0 will be carried at a d and the apparatus move forward toward F.Then, if the steam is introduced on the opposite faces of the pistons,

it-will produce opposite effects-that is to say, the 1egc will becarried forward after being raised up by the upper piston.

The land portable engine for which I make 1 an application for LettersPatent, is chiefly formed (Figs. 3, 4, 5, Sheets 2, 3, 4,) of ahorizontal frame, A, carrying the boiler B, the water-boxes O, thecoal-boxes or bunkers D, and the tool-boxes E.

Two driving-engineers stand in the rear and control (bygoverning-levers) injector, safetyvalve, steam-gauge, water-level, andall that is required for the direction and management of the apparatus.

The driver occupies the front of the-engine, to regulate and produce anychange-in direction. v

The bearing-wheels and propelling-feet, hereinafter described, are onthe fore and rear'parts of the framing. Under the framing, and in themiddle stands thepropelling-engine. Theframing is a rectangle, largestlength of which is in r thedirection of the step, and is formed with twogirders, six cross-bars, and four circumferential segments, F, (two infront and two in the rear,) which carry friction-surfaces. The extremecross-bars are provided on the fore part, as well as on the rear, withbuffers and coupling-hooks. A central plate, G, fixed underneath theframing, supports a part of the main direction devices of the portableengine and the framing of the propelling-machine.

The framing is attached with sheet-iron, T- iron, rivets, and bolts- Thefour feet, H, are placed side byside, two in front and two in the rear,and are arranged so as to work two and two in the same direction, thefore right foot working with the hind left foot, and vice versa. Theengine is carried by four balanced bearing-wheels, I, of the samediameter, two in front and two in the rear. They support the wholeweight of the engine and the dead weight. They'are bound two and two inthe front and in the rear with each one of the two set of feet. Theobject of this relation between the feet and'wheels is .to afford allthe evolutions, allowed by a motive-power acting by traction on ordinaryroads,-a perfect accordance between the motions of the feet and. wheels,and the direction of the engine, either on a straight line or on acurve, are absolutel'y essential. This result can only be obtained whenthe following conditions are observed: The feet must constantly move inplanes 'par allel to those of the wheels, and the feet and wheelsconstantly tangential with any curve over which they may pass. Theseconditions being observed, corresponding motions of the feet and wheelswill be necessitated, and all slipping of thefeet in changing thedirection will be avoided. The two feet H H are placed side by side asclosely as possible and equidistant from the vertical axis of themachine. Both wheels I are set outside the feet and equidistant. Theapparatus is mounted on a framing, J, entirely constructed ofsheet-iron, T-iron, rivets, and bolts. An upper plate, K, carries asocket, L, which engages a bolt fastened to the framing of the platform,and at each one of its extremities is fixed a segment, M, on which reststhe corresponding segment F. The pole-bolt is provided with a secondsocket, N, Fig. 3, in which engages a pin, 0, secured to a longitudinalbar, 1?, that forms a tie between each set and is connected by the endsto the main framing. The fore and back trucks move horizontally aroundtheir respective pole-bolts at the same time and to the same extent bymeans of two circular racks, Q Q, and iron pinions R. The racks areconnected to the fore and hind trucks by sheet metal S fixed to theupper part of the sway-bars. They are arranged in such manner that thepinions which actuate them carry both together to the right or left. Theeffect is, that on curves of any radius the machine will possess aninclination of the fore truck one-half less than if it had only onesway-bar, and the feet and back wheels will, respectively, track afterthe fore wheels. The direction is regulated by the sway-bars and beveledpinions B, whose shaft extends through the thickness of the framing andtoward the rear, beneath the platform of the engineers. At the end ofthis shaft is mounted a tangential wheel, T, receivin g its motion froma vertical screw, U, keyed on a shaft carrying a cranked fly-wheel, V,at its upper part. In order to have the driver in front I have the shaftof the pinions passing underneath the fore platform, where I arrange thescrew and tangential wheel. I introduce the steam within the cylindersonly on the upper part of the pistons during the lowering period. Toeffect the raising again of the second foot I arrange a beam, Y, toconnect both rods by means of small connecting rods. This beam beingpivoted at the center, both feet are perfectly balanced, and when steamis introduced on either one it is depressed and the other raised up. Theaxis of the beam connecting the piston-rods is mounted on a piston, Z,sliding within a cylinder, Z. The steam, acting below piston Z, hasalways a tendency to raise up both feet H H together. The effect is,that the beam is mounted virtually on a spring which yields.

In the horizontal motion of leg 0, Fig. 1,

if the shoe d is carried to d, it will describe an arc, and the footwill act on the soil with a steady power only when spring f shallsla'cken. The steam, introduced within the cylinders of the feet,produces this effect in the most satis fyin g manner. However, the steamintroduced from the inoment when the foot is at d until the moment whenit is at d, is liable to be lost. I avoid this loss or waste of steam byan arran gement which allows the foot, when on the soil and at any pointof its stroke, to move horizontally and parallel with the soil. For thatpurpose I have arranged on each side of the legs two small columns, A,which are vertica1, parallel, and free to slide in vertical guides. Twovertical connecting-rods, B, are hinged at their lower part, andconnected by the other end to the leg 0. The upper parts of the columnsare reunited by a cross-bar, D to piston-compresser of the foot. Thiscross-bar carries two internal and vertical slides, F, designed to guidethe upper part of the leg, which carries a hinged slide-block, G. a d isa leg; d b, connecting-rod, the heads of which are d and b. a dis equal(I b, and a 1) equal 61 b. The three points a b d are in a straightline. The mean positions are to the right or to the left. 01 is the headof a connecting-rod, considered as fulcrum, after the whole set has beendepressed. dd are small connecting-rods; a d, a leg, to, new position ofjoint a; d is a fulcrum; d b, small connecting-rods; a d, a leg. If, inthe triangle (1 b d, we take 01 d as base, and vary the angle by slidingthe point at to the right or to the left from d on the horizontal line61' d d, perpendicular with a d the point P remaining dead-the resultwill be that point B will describe an arc of a circle, b b b b I). 'Thenthe point a will assume the corresponding positions a a a, and thesethree positions, as well as all the intermediate positions, will beconstantly on line a d.

It is obvious, therefore, that with this apparatus, when the steam isadmitted within the feet-cylinders, the strain which must be pro ducedto move the apparatus will be reduced to the mere quantity of workrequired to overcome the inertia, beside the resistance due to friction.Hence the power of traction will be almost entirely utilized.

To change the direction of one leg in reference to the other on the samesway-bar, I have used the following arrangement, Fig. 6, Sheet 5: m and'n are the connecting-rods conveying the motion toboth legs, with whichthey are hinged at point I). X and X are two horizontal shafts, mountedexternally on each one of the two sway-bars. X 0 is a lever, fixed onshaft X and hinged to the connecting-rod m. X 0 is a lever, fixed onshaft X and hinged to the connecting-rod at. These two levers, as wellas the connecting-rods m and a, stand in the line of motion of the feet.X 1" X r are two other levers, mounted on the same shafts and hinged toa connecting-rod of connection 7 r. The shaft X being made, by theconnecting-rod X, to revolve in the direction of the arrow, it will drawaway connecting-rod m, and consequently the corresponding leg in thedirection it; while lever X "r, connectin g-rod r r, and lever X 'r,will be drawn away in the direction t. Lever X 0, receiving its motionfrom shaft X, will revolve in the direction it,

and, consequently, connecting-rod n will draw away the corresponding legin the direction t, opposite t. V

The fore and hind trucks are naturally reunited by the propellingpiston-rods and two connecting-rods, X, which are hinged to two ends,fixed to each extremity of this rod. These connecting-rodsmeetlevers,thelength of which is equal to that of the two levers 0 X and0 X, which levers are fixed on the middle of shaft X. The two points offixture of these connectin g-rods are double joints, in order to followthe motion of the driving-levers of shaft X, and to follow the changesof position of the swaybars in regard to the direction of the engine.

Shafts X and shaft X being laid at a certain distance in front, passingthrough the axis of the sway-bars and through the axis of the feet andwheels, the middle points of the shafts X, where are fastened theleversconnected with the main connecting-rods, describe, in the horizontalplan, arcs of circles. The radius being equal'to distance from the pivotof the sway-bars, the large connecting-rods take an inclination thatincreases as the radius of the curve diminishes. Hence they deviateexternally from the pole-bolts to a certain extent.

middle of the apparatus, and the piston-rod passes through both coversin order to carry the motion to each sway-bar. Both ends of rod areprovided with an end, J, sliding with-' in slides K. To these ends arehinged the large connecting-rods X, carrying the power to the feet. Allthe intermediate levers being equals, between the connecting-rods andthe legs the stroke of the piston is equal to the half of the leg. Underone of the ends of the propelling-piston is fixed a cam, L, intended toproduce the same effects as the ordinary rotating eccentrics. This camactuates one of the arms of a square, M moving in the horizontal plane,while the second arm actuates a distributer, N, designed to move aspecial piston within a cylinder, 0. In order that the piston maynotstrike on the bottom of the cylinder the openings or apertures ofintroduction are wide open when the piston reaches the end of itsstroke. To the rod of the driving or moving piston is hinged aconnecting-rod, 1?, actuating a lever, Q, keyed on avibrating-shaft, R,laid at the extremity of the framing of the propelling-engine. Thisshaft possesses thus a to-and-fro reciprocating motion correspondingwith that of the propelling-pistons. Both fore-cylinders, S S, as Wellas the hind ones, T T, are cast inone piece, and are entirely openunderneath.

The distribution of steam is effected in the same manner as in ordinaryengines, except that more overlapping has been effected at the outlet.This arrangement has for its object to produce the descending motion ofthe raised foot faster than the ascending motion of the foot lying onthe soil, so as to lesseneven to preventvertical concussions.

The small compensating-cylinder Z is constantly in communication withthe boiler by means of a special channel branched on the inletsteamchannel before its outlet within the box U of the slide -valves. Eachone of these two sets is connected above the platform by the medium of aconnecting-rod to a vi brating beam, V, crossing the thickness of theframing. The lower end of this beam is actuated by a movableconnecting-rod, A. On one end of the vibrating shaft R is fixed, by themiddle of its length, a slide, B having the form of an arc of a circle,the radius of which is equal to the length of the connectingrod Aconnected with the beam crossing the framing. This connecting-rod,connected to a slide-block, goes through the whole length of slide Beither above or below the center of the vibrating shaft R. It is carriedand held in the position desired by the driver by means of astep-changing screw, 0

If I take, as a starting-point, the middle of slide B it is obvious thatthere will be no displacement whatever of the connecting-rod. Theslide-valves will stand in their mean position while the steam is beingintroduced and dif-. fused below the compensating cylinder, and willraise the fore feet, but, remaining inclosed within thedistributing-boxes without being diffused in one or the other cylindersof adherence, neither one nor the other foot will rest on the ground.Hence, even if the propelling engine is working there will be aneffective stop. If, by means of the step-changing screw 0, theconnecting-rod is displaced so as to occupy one end of the slidethepropelling engine being at workthe slide valves will be moved, and thesteam introduced will actuate one or the other foot in proportion. Thelower part of the slide produces the forward stepping, and the upperpart. the back stepping, because the feet, steppinginversely, one fromthe other, the depressed foot carries the machine forward, while theraised foot moves it in the opposite direction. Therefore, by reversingthe engine, it will be the latter which will receive the pressure ofadherence,

and, consequently, carry the engine to the rear. It is by means of asecond step-changing adherence the mean position of the slidecorresponds with the mean position of the slidevalve, and that the inletbeing thus suspended on the propulsion, the engine will not move forwardwhether the steam is or is not introduced within the cylinders ofadherence of the feed.

The inlet of the steam is effected, as in ordinary engines, on the faceof the piston near the cover, and at the end of its stroke, at the sametime that the outlet of the steam is on the opposite side of the piston.

In order to moderate the speed without brakes, I use thereversing-screw, so situated that the slide-valve and connecting-rodoccupy the lower part of. the slide. If the engineer manages the screwso as to bringback the connecting-rod in the opposite extreme position,the slide-valve will necessarily take the opposite position also. Steam,proceeding from the boiler, will be diffused on the opposite face of thepiston, and hence the piston will have a certain resistance to overcometo accomplish its stroke. If the engine possesses a sufficient impulse,the piston will cause such steam to flow back within the boiler, whileon the opposite face the cylinder will fill up with air brought by theoutlet-pipe. This air will mix with new steam proceeding from theboiler. If the movable connecting-rod is at the middle of the slide, theslide-valves are in the mean position, and if the connecting-rod isadvanced little by little, so as to make it run to all the intermediatepoints between the center and the end of the slide, the slide-valveswill advance in the same proportion. Hence it will uncover theinlet-orifice when the center of the slideblock of the movableconnecting-rod will be at a distance from the center of the slidecorrespondin g with the overlapping of the slid evalve. L represents thelength of the slide from the center as far as the extreme position ofthe slide-block; R, the overlapping at the inlet 5 and c, the completestroke of the slidevalve; hence the section (of opening) of the orificesmay be increased or decreased at pleasure, and by this means a decreaseor increase in the quantity of the wasted steam obtained. In thereversal of the stepping this advantage has more importance, because,the friction opposing resistance to a certain valve, it will not benecessary (especially in slopes slightly inclined) to carry theslide-block to the extreme stroke; consequently, it will be easy tointroduce only just the quantity of steam to obtain the resistancerequired. Moreover, as the overlapping at the outlet is weaker than atthe inlet overlapping, the outlet-orifice will always be open' to a'greater distance, and the introduction of steam then rendered of noeffect. Each steam-propelling cylinder, or cylinder of adherence, isprovided with safetyvalves, while blow-off cocks are set at every lowpoint calculated to receive condensations. Special or auxiliary brakes,designed to produce the stopping, or to moderate the speed on slopes,are arranged on both sides of the engine. They are fixed to the girdersof the framing. Their principle is the friction on the soil of a fiatiron. shoe mounted on one of the branches of an iron square pivoted in avertical plane. The second arm is actuated by a screw and by afly-wheelplaced within the reach of the engineer. I arrange two shoes on eachsquare, giving to this square the aspect of an inverted T. The latter,designed to work for the fore part, is arranged on the rear, and thesecond opposite, so that the working is always in the direction of thetraction on the arms of the square, and so that no stopping can beproduced. To render the action of the brakes still lighter, one of thearms is constructed with steel of the best kind, so as to spring whenpebbles or other obstacles are met during the working of the brakes. Theboiler is formed with a vertical cylindrical fire-box, and the ash-boxwith two lateral openings, allowing the evacuation of the residuum atthe outside of the platform. The steamdome forms the prolongation of thefire-box. The boiler has also a horizontal tubular body, analogous tothat of locomotives. The tubular body is formed of a conoidal frustumfixed to the fire-box by its large base, so that the lower part of thecone may be tangential to a horizontal plane passing above thedistributing parts of the feet. The diameter of the large base isproportioned, so that on very inclined slopes the upper part of the bodyof the boiler may be still inclined from the rear to the front,-so as toallow the steam evolved at the fore part to pass without obstruction tothe dome of the boiler. 4 An injector is set on the left of theengineer, in order to feed at the stations. A feeding-pump, actuated bythe second end of the propelling engine, is set on the right, anddesigned to constantly feed in proportion to the waste effected duringthe stepping. This pump has clack-valves, which are double-that is tosay, formed of two distinct parts. Thus, on the seat of the box is thefirst clack-valve, which is aring or crown, the annularsurface of which,bearing on the seat, has only a width of one twenty-fifth of an inch.This crown possesses a stroke of onefiftieth of an inch only. Anordinary clackvalve, with a conical seat, bears on the upper part of thecrown arranged to receive it. The water-boxes are two in number, set oneon each side of the boiler, and situated on the middle of the platform.Belowthe boiler they leave between them the free space required for thepassage of the driving-rod of the feet slide valves. A pipe reunitesthem below the framing, and it is on this pipe that are branched thefeeding-mouths of injector and pump. At the origin of each one of theconnecting-tubes l of both water-boxes is fixed awire-gauze basreversingmechanism. The bottom and cover of the right-hand box are bored withcorresponding openings, and connected by a tube, which is water-tightand designed to give passage to the outlet-pipe of the propellingengine.The steam-inlet pipe passes within the left-hand box by means of ananalogous arrangement. The space confined between the inlet-pipe and thewater-tight sheath is filled with felt or other non-conductor of heat.This precaution being useless on the side of the escapement or outlet,the pipe may be free within the sheath; but, in order to deriveadvantages of the steam-heat expelled, I make the outlet-pipe topassimmediately through the water within the right-hand reservoir at thesame time that several communications are established at difierentheights between both boxes, allowing the heating again of the water(contained in the left-hand reservoir) by circulation.

A coal-bunker is set quite in the rear of the platform, of which itoccupies the whole width, its height being equal to that of the fence ofthe engine.

The changes of positions of the feet-cylinders during the inclination ofthe sway-bars require special arrangement of piping. We will take, forinstance, the inlet-pipe. It starts from the governor, mounted on thedome of the boiler, descends by the front part, and turns round to theleft of the tubular body, to be divided in two branches, E along theboiler, one carrying the steam forward and the other backward. These twobranches stop before getting to the extreme point of travel of thefeetcylinders. As far' as that point the pipe is fixed on the boiler andon the cover of the water-boxes by means of. small collars. The pipe iscontinued by a joint formed of a piece fixed to the extremity of thepipe, two movable pieces, and a fourth one fixed to the cylinder. Thefirst piece F turns below vertically, and carries a rotatingstuffing-box, designed to receive the second piece, G. This one, whichis movable, turns twice,;first horizontally, then vertically below,presenting to the third piece, H which is similar, the opening of asecond stufling-box lid similar to the first one. This third piece is,in its turn, brought back horizontally under the second, and thenvertically above the fourth, 1 while it presents to the latter a thirdstuffing-box lid, by means of which they are connected together. Thedistance of the axis through the centers of the vertical parts of thesepieces is such that (seen horizontally) this arrangement always presentsan angle, the apex of which is the center of the stuffing-box lid,connecting both movable intermediate pieces. This angle decreases aboutthirty degrees when the sway-bar is inclined to its maximum toward thepipe, and increases about one hundred and twenty-five degrees when thesway-bar is inclined at its maximum toward the opposite side. Thedelivery-pipe passes around the cylinder with which it is cast anddebouches inside of the distributingbox on side of the slide-valve seat.

In order to avoid the taking off of the handle of the stuffing-boxeslids by the pressure of the steam, I have introduced, inside the pipes,vertical bolts forming inter-ties; these bolts allow rotary motion toall the parts, their heads being countersunk, and the leakages avoidedby means of corks. The fore steam-joint is entirely similar.

The escapement outlets only differ from the inlets in that the pipes ofthe joints are of a larger diameter.

A common pipe is fixed on the right-hand water-box, and runs along theboiler. The inlet-pipe starts from the second regulator, passes aroundthe dome and the boiler, and goes to the engine-distributing box, afterrunning through the water-box placed on the lefthand side of theplatform.

A special mouth, J provided at the inlet of the main distributing-boxbrings the steam within the box of the slide-valve of the smalldriving-piston of the general distributer.

The steam outlet-pipe K starting from the propelling-engine, turnshorizontally, passes under the cylinder, reascends to the right, runsacross the water-box, and then goes to the fore part of the boiler,where it rises up again along the chimney.

The outlet-pipe L of the small driving-piston branches itself on themain outlet-pipe.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The shoes d, deriving their adhesive power from steam and the weightof the engine, substantially as hereinabove specified.

2. The mechanism of direction, consisting of two sway-bars to turn theengine on curves, the pinions, and racks, arranged substantially ashereinabove described.

3. The arrangement of the legs and wheels in relation to the engine, asand for the purpose described. i I 4. The arrangement of the hingedparallelogram described, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of small shafts and levers mounted on each sway-bar,as and for the purpose described.

6. The propelling-engine, combined with the means for producing directtraction, as herein set forth.

7. The arrangement of the motion-reversing slide in a portableland-engine, as herein specified.

8. The arrangement of the parts, slides, le-

11. The arrangement of the brakes, having for object friction on thesoil, as hereinabove specified.

LOUIS ADOLPH HERRMANN.

*Witnesses:

EMILE Din-IAN, CHARLES DETMOS.

